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` Difehiegend Grading Meehiee. Ne. 62,171. Patented e Feb. 19,` 1867.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY GONOERN:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. WAUenoPE, ci" Brookfield, in the county of La Salle, and StateV of Illinois, have invented a new and useful improvemcnt in Ditching and Grading Machines; and I do hereby declare and make known that the following is a full, clcar,and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and the letters and -igures marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to machines for ditching, or forming the gutters of roads or.highways, and depositing the earth removed therefrom upon the road between the said ditches or gutters7V thus constructing and grading highways in a very rapid and economical manner. Said machine isintended to be moved or drawn along parallel with the road to be graded, and consists in sojcombining a plough for removing the earth from the sides of the road, with an endless conveyor revolving transversely with respect to the direction in which the maehineis moved, that the earth is ,thrown upon the conveyor by the plough, and carried and deposited at the 'required place by 'the conveyor automatically, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth and explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand how to construct and use my invention, I will proceed tb i describe its construction and operation with purticularity, making reference in so doing to the aforesaid drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of my invention.

Figure 2, a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3, a longitudinal section of the endless conveyer; and

Figure 4, a transverse sectional view of the same. i

Similar letters of reference in the several gures denote the same parts of' my invention.

A represents a suitable frame upon which the operating parts of the machine are supported,- B C and E being thc wheels upon which the machine is moved or drawn along; that marked C being provided with suit.

able gearing and shafting to connect it with the roller H, around which the transverse conveyer G passes, as shown, so that the said wheel C drives or propels the said conveyerGr, as hereinafter described. M represents a plough-beam, having attached thereto a plough, S, arranged at one side of the machine, said beam M being provided with a vertical hanger, P, at its front end, to the lower end of which is attached a roller, Q. Said plough-beam is suspended between suitable lateral guides te, by means of a chain or cord, m, attached to a lever, N, which is pivoted at itsfront end, and moves up or down at its rear end, being adjusted and secured at the proper height by means of a pin, 12, passing through the holes in the standard o, as shown, thus regulating the depth at which the plough is desired 4to run. The roller Q` serves as a, gauge at the front ofthe plough-beam, its hanger P being so attached to said beam that its lengthema'y be varied, as shown. Immediately in frontof the vertical bars rc, as seen in iig. 2, a friction-roller projects from theiplough-beam upon a lateral bearing, so that when in operation the said rollers rest against said bars x and support the plough, preventing it from being pressed back out of place. G represents the endless conveyer, its upper end being supported upon the roller H, which has its bearings in the main frame A, as showmwhile the lower end passes around a roller, I, which i has its bearings in a movable runner of platform L wholly independent of the main frame, but suspended from the same by means of the cords or chains lwhich pass around a roller, R, which, by being revolved, raises .or

lowers said platform L, as may be desired, a ratchet upon the roller, marked U, and a pawl, V, retaining it in r l the position required. Upon said roller are arms n, whereby the driver from his seat T may operate the roller when required. The said platform is' prevented lfrom dragging behind by means of cords or chains 7c secured to the front of the main frame, or it may be kept in position in any other manner, the vertical movement of endless conveyer being all that is required, and hence a vertical movement of the platform L isall that is necessary. Within the endless apron' G are arranged the bars .I at each' side, which are provided with auxiliary rollers K to sustain tho weight of the earth upon the conveyer. These bars are bevelled down at their outer edges, as seen in fig. 4, to prevent the earth from getting inside the belt and impcding its operation. The lower end of said bars J rests against the roller I, while'attached to its opposite end is alever, a, pivoted at its lower end to thestationary frame A at a Z1, representing an arm fixed upon the stationary frame, also provided with n. series of holes, us shown. `Thus by moving thc upper end 'fo`rward or back, that is, towards or from the plough,- and adjusting it in the desired position by means of apin, as shown, the conveyer may be tightened or loosened as desired, the platform being so attached to themain frame as to allow it to yield laterally upon pressure being applied. F represents the tongue or draught-p0le, whereby the team is attached to the machine. Thus the machine having been properly adjusted, as it moves along the plough S forms the gutter or ditch, and throws the earth taken therefrom upon the eonveyer G, which carries it one side and deposits it, as desired, uniformly, and thus grades the highway; or if it is desired to use it for ditching-purposes, it forms the ditch and removes the earth to a suitable distance therefrom, the devices being lowered as the' excavation progresses. Instead of the gearingA and shafting, herein shown, for propelling the conveyer, any other suitable arrangement may be used.

Having described the construction and operation of my invention, I will proceed to specify what I claim', and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. I claim supporting one end of the transversely arranged endless conveyor G upon a roller arranged in the main frame of the machine, and the other end upon a roller having a vertically adjustable supporting frame independent of the main frame, arranged and operating as and for the purposes specified.

2. I claim the arrangement ofthe longitudinally adjustable bevelled bars J within the endless apron G and with the roller I, operating as andfor the purposes set forth.

3. I claim the combination and arrangement of the plough S, the transverse conveyor G, stationary roller H, adjustable roller I, bars J, and rollers K, operating as and for the purposes described.

WILLIAM J. WAUCHOPE.

Witnesses:

, W. E. MARES,

J. M. MUNNCHULL` 

